Weed puller



, Aug 31, 1948 c. E. KRUPP ETAL 2,448,445

' wEED FULLER Filed June 27, 1946 Patented Aug. 31, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WEED FULLER Charles E. Krupp, Evanston, Ill., and `William R.

Peterson, Lowell, Ind.

Application June 27, 1946, Serial No. 679,788 s claims( (c1. asi- 132) 1 This invention relates toY a construction primarily designed for pulling weeds, but is usable for extracting other suitable objects from the ground.

Objects of the invention are: To provide a relatively simple construction; to provide a method of assembling the jaws; to provide stronger jaw structures in which gripping force is more evenly distributed; to so shape and arrange the jaws as to substantially prevent enlargement of the hole in the ground during their withdrawal action; to provide a construction having a wedging action which facilitates introduction of the grippers into the ground; to provide for partial closure of the jaws incident to-the nal stages ofV introduction of the jaws into the ground; to provide means by which the operator can sense the condition of the jaws after entry into the ground; to provide a broadened fulcrum surface as means about which the device as a whole can swing to facilitate withdrawal of the weed; to provide means whereby nalgripping action is obtained by pulling the handle downwardly or toward the user, and by which continued pulling results in extraction of the weed.

An important feature relates to the proportioning of the parts so that during withdrawing or pulling action no enlargement of the hole, made in the ground by introduction of the tool,.will occur. Thus, a construction is provided which will not dig up the ground to any great extent.

Objects, features and advantages of the invention will be pointed out in the description of the drawings forming a part of this application, and in said drawings- Fig. 1 is a side elevation ofthe device showing in full lines the closed position of the jaws and in dotted lines their open position;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation looking toward the right side of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan View and i Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation showing in full lines the fulcrum action in pulling, and showing in dotted lines the position of the jaws in the ground as before closure. Y

First referring to Figs. 1 and 4. The present device comprises an elongated handle I having fitted in a socket 2 at its lower end, a cylindrical stud or extension 3 of a jaw member 4. The parts are secured by a suitable fastening device 5.

This jaw member 4 is slotted as at 6, and passing through the slot and pivoted as at 'I to said jaw member 4 is a movable jaw member generally-designated 9. A finger-like portion ofthe member 4 which is below the slot 6 is c'onvexlyl curved as at I0 on that side which is nearest the user, that is, on its outer side. The terminal gripping portion II of the jaw 4 is broadened as shown in Fig. 3, and has a flattened gripping face I2. The movable jaw r9 has a long substantially horizontal arm I5 and the weight of this arm acts normally to keep the jaws separated, that is, to keep the movable finger-like gripper arm I6 separated from the gripper arm I'I. The lower end or gripper portion I9 of the jaw portion IB is broadened as shown in Fig. 2, and has a flattened gripper face 20. The terminal edge surfaces of the jaws are relatively sharp to facilitate the digging action. Fig. 4 shows a full-line position of the device in the act of pulling, and shows in dotted lines theposition of the parts during introduction of the jaws into the ground.

The arm I5 is .provided with an upwardly directed fin-like extension 22, the upper foot-engaging surface of which is coplanar with a corresponding foot-engaging surface 23 of the arm (see Fig. 3) and the arm has a terminal broadened portion 25 adapted to act as a fulcrum.

The degree of opening movement of the gripper elements I6, II is limited by the engagement of the bottom surface 26 of the arm I5 with the bottom wall 21 of the slot 6, and the relations of the parts are such that ordinarily the gripper elements are preferably separated not more than three-quarters of an inch in that type of construction used for weed pulling. The relations of the fully separated arms are shown in dotted lines in the figure and it will be seen that the conveXly curved surfaces I0 and 28 respectively of the jaw portions I'l and I Ii act to perform a wedging action during introduction of the tool into the ground, and the shape is such as to facilitate withdrawal after the weed has been gripped. The radius of curvature of the surface |28 has its center substantially in fulcrum point B.

After the tool has been thrust downwardly to assume the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4 the handle I is then pulled in direction of the "i arrow A o r toward the operator, to swing the tion is continued after engagement of the foot' or fulcrum portion 25 has occurred, the jawportion I6 begins to approach jaw portion I'Lthat is, jaw portion I6 swings about 'the fpivotv'l, and this movement is sensed as a counterpressure against the foot of the operator. When he feels this counterpressure he promptly swings the handle I toward himself and jaw portion .M swings toward jaw portion I6 and gripping loccurs. v`.As pullingon the handle continues weedpullng is accomplished, as the Whole Ldevice swingsabout the point B as a center. fIn other words, `after the f-ulcrum..e`le1nent zienga'ges the ground, relative motions between the parts Vcan occur which result iirst ,in gripping action and then in pulling action. The .counterpressure therefore indicates to the user that the ja-ws have been introduced to-a sufficient depth, and in this manner vthe.counterpressure'acts as a kind of depth-gauge signaling.

Another important feature of this linventionrelates toa jaw construction which facilitates lassembly `of the-jaws, thus permitting said jaws to bemade separately (preferably by casting) vand then assembled. Heretofcre, jaws 'have -been of scissor type in which the outer'face oi one .jaw engages the outer face ofthe other; and in which a pivot or rivet connects thetwo' orscissorfaction. Thisy side-to-side engagement 7and the scissor action are objectionable for a number of lreasons among which are: Alackv of 'strengthgloosening of the pivot, and the necessity forprovidingilaterally extending terminal gripping portions :on ythejaws and for providinga lug'for limiting opening movements `of the jaws.

`In our fconstructionithej aws 'are so constnucted that one mayrbepassed through a-n opening in the other, and vthen rotated: andthenftranslated 'to "bring the jaws intoa position in fwhich'a pivot can/be passed through them.

For 4'the above-purpose the 'jaws'are shaped in the following manner: tThe-broadened terminal gripping-portion 19y -of the Yrnovableja-w 9 is made to'have a thickness and size (spatu1ate shape) which Y ada-pts it' 'to be passed -edgewise'through the slot f6. 'The jaw :S'fha-s -a irstlportionoZS vso cross-sectionally shaped (oblong) as to fbe incapable `of rotation in the open-ing .6. Thus, asv shownin Fig. 4,v the :vertical height Lof .port-ion 29'1at'the pivot l '.isgreater than the width-or horizontal dimension ofthe slot This portion 2B has 'an opening 30 for the pivot l. It also has circular bosses 3=| adapted to insure .proper t tand-.yet permitY rocking motion of the pivoted jaws. The jaw9 also has an elongatedportion 32 `(disposed li-ntermediately of the-portions Igand 29') which is so cross-sectionally shaped (square) as `turbe-capable of rotation in theopening 6. The corners ofthe square -a-re perfectly rounded. The widthof the'portion 32, see Figure 2, in -direction of 'the kwidth of the slot 6 is zless than the width of said slot, and-this permits rotation of the portion '32 in the slot.

By the 'above construction, Ythe parts can Jbe assembled 'by rst passing thecpart i9 trom left to right (Fig. 4) through the opening 6, then translating the jaw to bring the portion 32 into the opening 6, then while portion 32 is in the opening, rotating the jaw through an angle of and then again translating the jaw in the same direction to bring the part 29 to the position of Fig. 4 after which the pivot 1 is passed through the openingsainparts to condition .the '.iaws for grip-ping action when thetoo'l is used in the manner heretofore described.

' \We have produced a strong, eiiicient tool, which can be cheaply made and easily and quickly as- =sembled, and which will not substantially enlarge .the openingen v`the ,ground dur-ing pulling of the weed, and in which the gripping action is increased Iduring pulling.

`v-Having'described our invention, what we claim 1s:

1. A device of the class described comprising, a first jaw having an opening, a, second jaw having -a'iirst portion, -a second intermediategporti'on, anda terminal third portion, the rs'tportion being slidable and rockable in the `opening, but being so shaped as to prevent rotation of theiaw about Vits long axis, the third portion being flat and perpendicular to the iirstlportionandadapted ltobe r`withdrawn 'through the Iopening 'only after `the jaw has been rotated about its'long axis through an angle of ninety degrees, said second portion being adapted for rotationfinfsaid opening `after 'translationthereinto, andA a pivot normally passing through the `jaw `and through said rst portion.

l2. 4A device oi thev class described comprising, a'iirst'jaw having' a narrow opening elongated in a direction lengthwise of the ljaw, a secondfjaw having a rstfnarrowflat portion VslidablyA traversing' the opening and A-rockalble but l1:1ot-ro1.atable therein, a pivot vpassing throughvsaid jaws `and narrow portion, lsaid second jaw having .a terminal portion as a'second portion which Lcan be withdrawn through the. opening only after-rotation of thejaw about 'its long axis through an angle ofabout ninety degrees, and .said second jaw having a third portion disposed intermediately of the rst and secondwportionsV and having a cross-sectional conguration which :will allow it -to be rotated insaid opening-about .its vlong axiswhereby aterthe pivot iis removed rthecsecond `jaw can be translated in ydirection of `its length Ito bring the third portion Within the opening, and whereby'on rotationy of the jaw the second vportion canbe withdrawn, Aand wherebyr onnreverse manipulation the secondjaw can .be assembled by passage through the opening to a position to receive the pivot.

'.3. A :device offthe class described comprising, a first jaw having -a narrow opening .elongated ina .direction .lengthwise ofthe jaw, ,a second jaw having a rst narrow portion slidably traversing the -opening and rockable but not rotatable therein about vthe-long axis of- .the jaw, .a pivot passing through said jaws-.and narrow portion, said .second jaw having a terminal Vnarrow .flat-gripping portion as a second portion .transverse to said tirst portionfand which can be withdrawn 4through the l:opening-only after rotation of thejaw about its long -axis through an angle of about eninety degreesfandsaid second ,jaw having a third portion disposed intermediatelyrof the rst and secondportions and having a cross-sectional contiguration'which will allow .it to 'bero'tated in said opening about its-long axis, whereby after the pivot is removed .thesecond jaw can be translatedindrection of..its length. to bring the third portion Within the opening, and whereby on ro- UNITED STATES PATENTS tation of the jaw the second portion can be withdrawn, and whereby on reverse manipulation the Nugle Sh lvame A Daels? second jaw can be assembled by passage through 779984 Allin "Jalrllglo 1905 the opening to a position to receive the pivot. 5 2 185552 Heco Jan' 2 1940 CHARLES E. KRUPP. X WILLIAM R. PETERSON. FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date REFERENCES CITED 942 Great Britain 1890 The following references are of record in the 10 le of this patent: 

